Imagine someone stabbing you in the stomach and twisting the knife. That's cramps. Plus, your boobs get sore, your muscles ache, you experience nausea and headaches, and are constantly tired. Also, imagine constantly bleeding from your asshole and shoving cotton up it so you don't ruin your pants.

3.Submitted by Valerie Cassavant, Facebook

Imagine your emotions are placed on a keyboard, then someone is slamming their hands on the keyboard. All you want to do is sleep and sit on something soft. If you have front cramps, it feels like someone has your abdomen in a vice. If they are back cramps, it feels like someone is kicking you in the tailbone over and over.

5.Submitted by Laurel Jean, Facebook

Periods are awful, inconvenient, dirty, uncomfortable, excruciating, exhausting, and you aren't supposed to talk about them, which only makes it worse because you have to live your life pretending you aren't constantly sweating, farting, expelling fluids from your vagina, and in so much pain you can hardly breathe. I'm not exaggerating.

8.Submitted by Becky Fern Rowe, Facebook

For me, most of the time, it's annoying, but tolerable. Then about every four months, it's really bad, like someone glued and duct-taped the inner wall of my uterus and then started violently ripping it off. And on top of that, you have diarrhea, and sometimes an upset stomach. Not to mention blood pouring out of your vagina.

10.Submitted by Sonnet Fitzgerald, Facebook

Periods are just gross. It's like your crotch is throwing up 24/7 for a week every month. You can't stop it, you just have to do damage control. And containing it is a pain. Cups are a reach issue for anyone who is larger or has mobility issues. Tampons aren't that great for you and can hurt depending on your body. Pads feel awkward and stick to your butt. It's just a wet, icky, painful mess. 0/10. Do not recommend.

12.Submitted by Sunshine Then, Facebook

It feels like the worst burrito-gas in your entire life, every waking hour, for three to seven days. Who knows how long it will last? It can be sharp, stabby, dull, achy feeling in your abdomen, or in your back. Then you get rivulets of blood complete with chunks for three to seven days. Tampon? Pad? Cup? Have fun choosing your weapon.

13.Submitted by Sanna Wege, Facebook

It starts with an uneasy feeling: a dull pressure in my lower torso. When it's full-blown cramps (usually the first day), it's like my backbone is in a screw clamp. Also, everything is bloated and there's diarrhea.

15.Submitted by Mallory Ayotte, Facebook

Pretend someone filled up a large water balloon inside your pelvis, about two inches below your navel, that slowly leaks its fluid with the end still tied over a five-day span. Yes, it gets painful. Yes, you have to use the bathroom a WHOLE lot more — or at least it feels like it and then *false alarm* you actually don't. Other than that, it feels very wet and uncomfortable in places you'd prefer to keep dry and don't get me started on the extra time it takes to maintain yourself and clean up...

17.Submitted by Cheryl Marie Tay, Facebook

Depends on the woman. I'm very lucky in that I don't get PMS or cramps; I just get a little lethargic, probably because of the blood loss. My hormones also go a bit crazy (i.e., I REALLY want to make out with my guy).